Red Ribbon
by AGENT Kuma-chan
Summary: Gift!fic for Kathy. InoShika. Hinted TemaShika. They made a promise and Ino spent three years searching for Shikamaru to keep that promise. Time changes everyone, though, and Shikamaru looks cozy with his coworker, Temari. Some promises can't be kept.


Fandom:

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** InoShika, with hints of ShikaTema and NaruIno (just flirting randomly)

**Prompt:** Bookmark

**For:** Kathy (**Katako-Chan**)

**Author's Notes:** This is going to be an AU fic. Naruto flirts with everything—maybe I should have used Kiba instead? And I have no idea how that prompt ended up like _this_. Oh, and the title 'Red Ribbon' came from the belief of tying a red ribbon in order to remember promises.

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Soft hands fingered the rectangular paper nestled between two pages of her romance novel. Cerulean eyes looked at it critically. It was a rather old bookmark—faded slightly over the years and plain. It was completely white with the words "Bookmark" and "For Ino" on it. He was always too lazy, she thought, hiding a smile.

The one she gave him was bright and flashy, just like her. She had put much more work in her bookmark than he did in his. Really, she should throw this scrap of paper away and used a better bookmark.

She couldn't, though, because it was the last memory she had of the dark-haired man of her youth. He had graduated years before her—he was naturally smart—and they didn't manage to keep in touch.

Closing her book, she smiled wryly as she got up from her seat and exited the bus. Looking at the large building in front of her, she walked to the doors. Hopefully all of that would change today.

After all, from today onwards they'd be working in the same building.

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"_Let's make a promise."_

"…"

"_When we next see each other, we'll go on a date!"_

"…"

"_And then get become boyfriend and girlfriend."_

"…"

"_And then get married and—"_

"…"

"_Shikamaru?"_

"…"

"_YOU'RE SLEEPING. GET UP. THIS IS IMPORTANT."_

"…_troublesome girl."_

"_Now I have to say it all over again."_

"_I heard you the first time."_

"_So, it's a promise?"_

"…_fine."_

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Red Ribbon

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"Hello," a polite voice chirped and Yamanaka Ino turned her head to see the figure speaking. It's a black-haired girl.

Walking up to the receptionist's desk, Ino replied, "Hello, I'm here for a job."

"Oh, you're the new intern," the girl looked down at her papers before smiling back at the blonde. "You have to be in room 200 right now. Follow this hall and take the elevator to the third floor. Go to the right and you should find the room immediately."

"Thank you," Ino smiled back, before going down the silver hall. All around her are photos of buildings that were designed here, along with pictures of people shaking hands and forming deals. Clicking a button when she reached the elevator, it opened immediately luckily and she went in.

"_Maybe he's changed_," she thought, "_If so, I hope he's less lazy. Seriously, he's such a bum sometimes_."

Ding! The elevator doors softly opened and she walked down the hallways. "_Or maybe he's grown even lazier. It'll be so hard to deal with him then,_" she thought, a frown marring her face. Looking around, she noticed a grey door with the number '200' on it and rapped quickly on it.

_Or maybe—_

Her thoughts were cut short as a pink-haired girl looked at her and said, "You're late." In the room, there were two other people: a blond boy and a brown-haired girl.

—_I won't be able to see him yet._

-x-

There are several things Ino hated. Things such as someone borrowing her favourite mascara or lipstick without permission, only to bring it back empty. Or if the hot guy she was flirting with turned her down. She also didn't like it when she had to do hard work or wasn't able to help a friend.

What she hated the most, though, was boring, repetitious work.

And that, sadly, was what she was doing right now.

The pink-haired girl, Haruno Sakura, had quickly given the three interns in front of her thick folders, filled with papers that had to be organized in a certain way. Then, saying she'd be back in an hour, she disappeared out the door.

Ino stared down at her folder with despair. She didn't want to do _paperwork_. She had joined this company because she wanted to work in their landscaping area.

Paperwork was boring and annoying and _never seemed to end._

She wasn't the only one to think so as the blond boy suddenly yelled, after ten minutes of working, "This is so _boring_! I should be doing something more interesting!"

The brown-haired girl looked up and sighed. "I agree, but we_ are_ interns. And interns _do_ the annoying work." Ino nodded in agreement.

The blond boy looked as though he just noticed the toy girls in front of him. "Hey, I'm Uzamaki Naruto! What are your names, ladies?" he gave a grin.

"I'm Tenten," the brown-haired girl replied as Ino looked carefully at Naruto. He had spiky blond hair and blue eyes, just like her. His body was muscular and he was tall.

Most certainly hot and could be a good catch. Certainly someone she could flirt with while she waited to find _him_.

"I'm Yamanaka Ino," she said last, giving him a wink. "What sector do you want to work in?"

"Me? I'm just here for a while," he smiled broadly, "Only to gain some experience until I can go after my real job."

"I'm after the security department," Tenten grinned mischievously, "And when I join, there shall be major improvements."

"I'm into the landscaping area. I want to be designing their gardens and such," Ino replied.

Suddenly, the door opened and in came their pink-haired boss. "Oh, didn't work much yet," she noted as she saw their piles of paperwork. "Well, I guess you can do that while I finish reading this book." In one hand was a book about surgery and in the other was a cup of coffee. She was pretty, Ino noted idly, with her deep, green eyes and silky hair. She also had dainty looking hands and feet.

However, she wasn't as pretty as Ino. The blonde girl smirked and went back to work.

"Say," Naruto said, "Haruno-chan, why are you reading a medical book."

Sakura turned to look at the boy. She gave a faint smile. "I don't really work here. I just came in to fill in for another girl, as a favour. Though, with my medical tests around the corner, this is the last time I do favours for Shikamaru."

Ino tensed at that name. There was the guy she came here for. Now, how to get contact with him?

-x-

Ino never really got a chance to ask Sakura about Shikamaru for a few days. In fact, a week went by without her being able to ask.

It was frustrating, but at least she was on the right track.

Putting on her eyeliner, Ino left the washroom to head back to the room that she and her two co-workers were in today. Today they were going over the business side of the company.

The company wasn't kidding when they said that they gave interns a chance at all aspects of the company. During the last few days, she'd seen everything from security to the architects—even the janitors, for some reason.

"So, Ino-san, Naruto, and Tenten-san," Sakura began, "Today we are going to be focusing on companies—their merits and how they can help our company." She sighed, adding, "Soon, soon I can leave."

Apparently the girl she had been replacing was still sick, Ino noted.

As the group approached the door, it opened and two figures popped out. One was another blonde girl—_really_, Ino thought, _what is it with them and blonds?_—who had her hair down up in four pig-tails. She had olive green eyes and wore a professional, pleated black skirt and a collared white shirt. She was talking about something in a low voice to her companion, a man who had his dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail, resembling a pineapple slightly.

She froze when she saw his face. She saw his warm, brown eyes, his lazy look, and his meandering stride and knew that this was the man she was looking for.

Nara Shikamaru.

He was here.

_He_ was here.

He was **here.**

Nara Shikamaru was in front of her.

With _a different_ blonde.

Not Ino.

She felt disappointed—had he moved on already?—and her heart beat fast as the man she hadn't seen in three years walk down the hallway beside her. She couldn't see him very well—the blonde girl was walking between him and Ino.

Her voice froze and she wanted to yell something, but the moment passed and he disappeared from her line of sight.

She hadn't been holding her breath, but instead had been breathing lightly.

"Say, Sakura-chan," Naruto asked—he had just randomly started calling Sakura by her first name and wouldn't stop, "Who was that foxy chick that just went by?"

"Oh, that was Temari-sempai. Shikamaru is the guy who went by with her. They're working on a project right now—a major merger."

So, they could just be co-workers. That's got to be the reason.

At least, that was what Ino hoped.

Besides, she had dated several men while looking for him. It'd be hypocritical to think that he wouldn't date either.

(True, she had been thinking that she'd get over him while doing so, but never quite did. Especially when she read his name again and realized how easy it would be to get near him.)

"Well," Sakura continued, "Time to start the next lesson."

-x-

It was another week before she saw Shikamaru again, and when she did it was in the cafeteria. He was sitting down at a table with _that_ girl again, taking a quick bite while looking over some papers. Looking absolutely bored, he seemed to sigh as he circled some things on the paper, causing his partner to look surprised and then grin. Temari laughed and then pointed something else out, causing the genius to sigh yet again.

Meanwhile, watching them from a corner of the room, Ino sat glowering at her salad. She had taken a small break for lunch and came upon this scene. They looked like they were a couple.

A couple.

A very much in-love couple.

She glared at the salad again, stabbing the tomatoes before putting them in her mouth.

-x-

"Ne, Sakura-chan," Naruto said again, "That girl…Temari and…Shikamaru, are they a couple or something?"

He had asked the very question that had been burning on Ino's tongue and she wasn't sure if she should thank him or hit him. Now she'd know the truth, but it might not be the one she wanted to hear.

"Oh, Shikamaru is an idiot who does not recognize so many things," Sakura grumbled, a dark aura around her. "Things like how some people are not naturally intelligent like him and need studying time and _do not want to work here for the rest of their lives_."

"Sakura-chan, that—"

Her now-dark green eyes glared into his own and the boy gulped. Tenten shivered lightly, before asking, "Sakura-sempai…are you ok?"

"Yes, _I AM VERY MUCH OK_," she spat out, crunching up the papers in her hand. "My exams are in a week and they are not going to go well and…" she sighed, wringing her hands together. Her chest rose and fell as she took deep breathes. "To answer your question, they aren't dating—"

Ino felt a rush of relief at this.

"—however, they might end up doing so because Temari-sempai has a crush on Shikamaru and he does seem to be comfortable with her."

Her heart plummeted at those words. Something started to crack somewhere and feelings of loss rushed over her, but she ignored them and pasted a smile on her face.

"They are very cute together," Sakura added, before leading them down to their next assignment.

"_Yes, they are_," Ino thought bitterly. "_Yes, they __**are**_."

-x-

The next few weeks went by in that manner. Ino had slowly learned about each division in their company, before learning more specifically on the section she was interested in.

Every day now, for some reason, she'd see Temari and Shikamaru together. Unlike before when she'd rarely saw either of the duo, she now always saw them.

Around every corner, in every room.

_Everywhere_.

And always _together_.

It affected her behaviour. She'd be angrier when she got to work, sadder, more lost. It wasn't a pleasant feeling she felt. It felt instead as though she was missing something, as though the balance of her world had been thrown off.

Really, it was all his fault. If only stupid, ignoring Shikamaru would actually realize it was Ino staring at him.

If only he realized what Temari was going to do and stopped it.

If only Ino wasn't so lovesick over him.

-x-

"They finally did it," Sakura squealed happily.

"Who did what, Sakura-sempai?" Tenten asked politely, placing a few papers into a file.

"Temari and Shikamaru! She finally asked him on a date and he accepted!"

"Oh, really?" Tenten smiled. "That's nice."

"Yep!"

Ino tensed up and froze. Shikamaru was dating Temari? After all of that work she had done to get here, all of that effort she'd gone through to find him?

Maybe she should have stayed with one of her past boyfriends. At least they loved her.

At least she wouldn't have had to gone through such lengths to find them.

And after going through such lengths, what did she get? After pushing herself to find his work, months spent locating him again, what did she get?

He ends up dating another girl. Even though she was here.

He wasn't worth all of this heartbreak. Wasn't worth her time, her effort.

Certainly wasn't worth her.

(He never was Prince Charming and True Love material. And maybe, just maybe, it was time to let him go and find someone else. Someone else who'd give her ice-cream when she was sad and help her with her projects and put up with her nonsense and—

Someone else who wouldn't make her feel like tearing herself apart.)

Ino _**doesn't**_ cry. She didn't cry when he left, didn't cry when her past boyfriends broke up with her, and didn't cry when she was bullied for a year.

As the blonde girl listened to their idle chatter about Temari and Shikamaru, she wondered if there was a way that she'd be able to go home early and curl up in her bed.

She needed a good cry.

-x-

As she walked out the building, the sun's rays hit her and made her blink. It was a sunny day and made her wonder how the sky could be so happy when she wasn't. Looking around she saw something that made her pause.

Shikamaru and Temari were walking down to the parking lot together. She was smirking at his, a folder of papers in one of her hands as the other punched his shoulder lightly. Ino couldn't see him very well but knew he must have had his lazy smile on his face, muttering how troublesome this was for him but not really meaning it.

Something lodged in her throat and she quickly turned away. Instead of going to catch the bus, she opted to follow a path nearby and go to the nearby park.

She heard a loud laugh behind her and hastily left. Ino didn't run, because running would be the same as losing, the same as retreating, the same as showing the world her feelings.

Instead she walked really fast. Her book was in one hand and she hastily pulled out the bookmark from it and crumpled it up, throwing it to the ground.

There was no need for it any more. She had her answer.

She didn't notice the dark eyes that followed her movements curiously nor the figure that started to follow her.

-x-

Sitting down on a wooden bench, the blonde girl closed her eyes and sighed. It was getting late and she should go home soon. Opening her saddened eyes, she stretched her arms as she talked to herself.

"He and Temari are rather cute together," she murmured. Ino might act conceited, as though she was the most beautiful lady on earth, but she knew her limits. There were other pretty girls and she wasn't every guy's dream girl.

Temari was rather pretty and, with her strong personality, she'd be a girl that many guys went after. It wasn't a wonder that Shikamaru accepted her date.

Besides, he wouldn't think they'd ever see each other again, promise or no promise.

"I'm really stupid, waiting for him. He's probably forgotten all about me by now."

"Troublesome girl," a voice suddenly said, "I haven't forgotten about you."

-x-

_Don't give up on your faith,_

_Love comes to those who believe it_

_And that's the way it goes_

-x-

Blinking, Ino's head shot up and her eyes widened in surprise to see the very person she was thinking about in front of her.

"Shikamaru?" she whispered.

"Ino," he nodded back in acknowledgement. "It's getting dark," he noted looking up at the sky.

"It's bothersome, but I can give you a ride home," Ino watched in muted silence as he offered her a hand.

She was about to grab it when she froze.

He had no right to do this. To say the words she wanted to hear. To do the actions she wanted to see. He had no right making her hopeful and happy and thinking that she actually stood a chance with him again.

Slapping away the hand, she yelled at him.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off working or with your precious Temari, getting ready for a date?"

He raised a slow eyebrow at her response. Instead of replying, he just stood there silently, his back slouched and his hands in his pockets as he waited for her to finish her tirade.

"You should be somewhere else right now! Why are you doing this to me? I was all set to get over you, to fall out of love with you, and then you waltz over to me and talk as though nothing changed. As though you haven't fallen in love with someone else and it was three years ago."

He raised an eyebrow slightly, but remained silent.

"I've come here looking for you. After searching for you, I found you and then I found _her._ I worked her for a few months, hoping to see you, and when I do you can't even see me. I'm tired of it. Please…" her voice quieted down now, as her anger released itself, "Please just leave me alone. Give me just a little while. Just some time to get over you.

And then I'll return to the old Ino and we can be…"

Her voice choked and she couldn't finish the sentence.

…_friends_.

She didn't look at him after she stopped talking.

"…" he gave another sigh and muttered something about troublesome women and how they were really too much trouble. Reaching into a pocket he brought out a crumpled piece of paper.

"Here," he put the paper into one of her hands.

It was his bookmark. The one that she had crumpled up and thrown away earlier.

He then reached into his pocket and took out his wallet. Opening one pocket in it, he brought out a slip of paper. Placing it into her other hand, he quietly watched her reaction.

It was _her_ bookmark. The one she gave him. In perfect condition and with only a slightest fold on it.

She gave a soft smile. He still had it. So he hadn't forgotten.

A tear dropped from her eyes and she quickly wiped it away the offending droplet. She couldn't let him know how touched she was. She was Yamanaka Ino, after all, and she had a reputation to keep up. And that meant he'd have to make it up to her for a while.

"Bookmarks are meant to be used, you know," she chided him lightly, getting up from the bench.

"…how troublesome," he sighed as they both left the park but a light smile played on his lips.

Ino had no idea how tiring it was for him to watch her everyday from a distance. He had seen her name when she joined and had wondered if she was the same girl he knew. Of course, she might have changed, but then she might still be the same.

Instead, he decided to watch her behaviour for a while. If she had forgotten him, then he'd leave her to her own life. If she hadn't…well, then he'd see how he could make her come to him, without having to make too much of an effort.

(She was worth any effort, though)

However, having seen her heartbroken look a little while ago, he knew that he'd have to make the first move this time.

He could never stand seeing her cry.

And preferably, he'd never have to see it again.

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"_Hey, Ino-san, did you know that Shikamaru knew you were here ever since you joined?"_

"…_WHAT?"_

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**A/N:** I'm not fully happy with this attempt. And I have no idea how I got this idea from bookmarks. Why couldn't I have made something with a library or something?

(I think I did a better job with _Always a Bridesmaid_. Even if it was a sad!InoShika fic, it seemed better…)

Anyways, review!

AND HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, KATHY!

(sorry about how little InoShika fluff this is)


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